Nicaragua - San José

Origin: Nicaragua

Region: Las Manos, Dipilto

Process: Natural Semi-Carbonic maceration

Varieties: Caturra 

Producer: Eudoro Guillém

Altitude: 1300m - 1700m

Tasting notes:  Cherries, praline, plums, milk chocolate, rum

• A 250g bag of pure joy! 

Eudoro Guillen represents the second generation of coffee growers at San José farm. His father, Don Eudoro, acquired two farms—El Recuerdo and San José—in 1965 and planted only Caturra there. After the death of Eudoro senior, his wife, Doña Silvia, and son, Eudoro, took over the management of both farms. They are committed to preserving the family legacy by maintaining the existing varieties, while implementing techniques to improve quality and the flavor profile in the cup, as well as holistic farming practices.

In recent years, Eudoro, supported by his wife Norma Flores and the Bridazul project, has adopted new fermentation methods, including semi-carbonic maceration. In 2021, both of their farms were awarded in the *Cup of Excellence*—with Caturra, no less!

Responsible coffee farming and preserving the farm's vegetation are at the heart of Eudoro's vision. For these reasons, San José farm plays an essential role in the Bridazul project.

San José is located in the Dipilto region, in the municipality of Las Manos, near the border with Honduras.

Bridazul is a holistic project launched in 2019. Founded by Claudia Lovo, its mission is to build lasting bridges between producers and consumers by combining quality, economic and environmental sustainability, and social impact. The project supports around 50 small and medium-sized producers in the Nueva Segovia region.

Claudia, who is of Nicaraguan origin, owns El Árbol farm. Together with her partner Sasa Sestic, they pioneered the very first lots processed using semi-carbonic and carbonic maceration in the 2010s. Their success became known in neighboring communities, leading them to support the first producers who came to them for help. By sharing their facilities and expertise, they enable these producers to replicate the semi-carbonic maceration technique and gain access to new markets. Their guiding principles are transparency, sharing, and mutual support.

In 2019, she completed construction of Bridazul, her own dry mill. This is where she and her producer partners come together to process their coffees. Much more than a simple processing facility, Bridazul is a true support project: it provides agronomic advice on soil management, offers training to producers, advises them on selling green coffee, and guarantees fair compensation—above market prices—that covers production costs while ensuring producers a profit margin.

The SuperNatural blend was created by Claudia. It brings together coffees from producers located at similar altitudes and growing the same varieties. The result is visually very uniform green coffee that is easy to roast, thanks to the comparable density of the beans.
This coffee comes from farms participating in the Bridazul project, and every post-harvest processing step is carried out and supervised entirely by the Bridazul team.

SuperNatural is the only “natural” coffee in the range that is not processed using the semi-carbonic maceration method. It is a natural lot that underwent extended fermentation to develop notes of stewed red fruit.

The process: 

This lot undergoes semi-carbonic maceration, a process emblematic of Finca El Arbol and the Bridazul project.

Borrowed from winemaking, semi-carbonic maceration promotes the development of fruity notes while adding body, complexity, and richness to the cup.

First, the coffee cherries ferment in airtight barrels placed in a temperature-controlled room (we keep the temperature cool to prevent the uncontrolled growth of certain bacteria that could promote alcohol production).

CO2 is injected into the barrel to trigger fermentation inside the fruit itself. This is known as “inside-out” fermentation (as opposed to fermentation that progresses from the outside in when yeasts or other external elements, such as fruit, are added to the coffee).

This process lasts several days and continues until a rich, intense aroma develops.

Once removed from the barrels, the cherries are spread out on African beds and dried in a thick layer to develop even more sweetness.